Also on Friday, Mega Motor Company (MMC), BYD’s official partner in Pakistan, announced that “BYD has reached a major milestone of 10,000 vehicles on Pakistani roads, marking the fastest ramp-up by a new-entrant New Energy Vehicle (NEV) brand in the country’s automotive history”.

Honda Atlas Cars Ltd (HACL) has revised the prices of HR-V e: HEV and HR-V VTIS to Rs9.299 million and Rs7.299m from Rs10.369m and Rs7.799m, respectively.

HACL said the new prices are for a limited time and would be offered on limited stock. New retail prices will be applicable on all orders invoiced on and after Sept 25.

Assemblers pass on GST cut after two-week delay

According to a circular issued by the Indus Motor Company (IMC), the new prices of Toyota Corolla Cross HEV X and Cross HEV are Rs9.729m and Rs9.299m, respectively, down by Rs570,000 and Rs550,000.

Chery Master Director Sales and Marketing Syed Asif Ahmed told Dawn that the government’s decision to settle the general sales tax (GST) issue at 18pc from 25pc on electrified vehicles may revive sales, as consumers had delayed their purchases, waiting for the government’s decision.

Under the Automotive Industrial Development Policy (AIDP) 2021-26, which expired on June 30, the GST was 8.5pc on EVs.

After the expiry of AIDP, the industry has been waiting for the new policy, which was expected to take effect from July 1, but it has yet to be announced.

Assemblers believe that the absence of a clear policy framework had created uncertainty across the automotive value chain, affecting business planning, production scheduling and investment decisions. During the July-August period, several assemblers temporarily deferred vehicle invoicing due to the absence of clarity on the applicable policy and tariff regime.

Mr Asif recalled that the 25pc GST caused a sharp drop in demand, leaving a sizable stock of assemblers’ electrified vehicles unsold until mid-September as consumers waited for clarity on the GST issue.

“I think sales will return to normal in the coming months,” he said, adding that it is unclear whether GST will drop further or remain unchanged, depending on decisions in the new auto policy.

On deliveries and bookings, he said most vehicles from his company and other assemblers will be delivered in the next two months.

It also seems that completely knocked-down (CKD) kits are readily available at assemblers’ plants, despite geopolitical tension in the Middle East, as the Iran-US war has plunged the region into turmoil since Feb 28.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026

The meeting took place against the backdrop of the kingdom being dragged into fresh fighting between the Houthis and the Yemeni government, with the former declaring a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and targeting its ships in the Red Sea. In recent weeks, Houthis have also carried out attacks in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) had shared that the three countries were mulling a military chiefs’ meeting to consider ways to assist Riyadh under the Makkah pact.

The commitment was made at a meeting of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir and the chiefs of general staff of Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, held in Riyadh on Friday.

According to the ISPR, the participants discussed ways to advance cooperation among their armed forces, including enhanced intelligence sharing, military coordination and integration of capabilities.

The measures, it said, would help strengthen deterrence and collective defence.

The military chiefs also reviewed the security situation and threats facing Saudi Arabia, and strongly “resented” attacks targeting the holy city of Makkah as well as civilian and economic infrastructure.

They appreciated the vigilance and professionalism of the Saudi armed forces in ensuring the safety of the people and security of the Kingdom, according to the ISPR.

The participants also commended the longstanding relations and mutual trust between the three countries and their armed forces.

The ISPR said the Riyadh meeting reflected the strength of the defence partnership among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye and their shared determination to implement the commitments made under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

The participants further affirmed their commitment to collective defence, demonstrating, according to the ISPR, the resolve of the three countries to defend the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia.

More to follow

I thought it was a great tradition that reminded everyone of the sacrifices made by the soldiers and sent a powerful message to the troops that their countrymen had the highest regard for them and their sacrifices.

Although Pakistan follows the British parliamentary system, almost all Pakistani prime ministers have avoided personally answering questions in parliament. As prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani used to answer many supplementary questions himself when he was in the House — but that was not a part of the set parliamentary procedure.

Imran Khan had promised to follow this British tradition when he was prime minister and personally answer questions. However, he neither tried to change the parliamentary rules nor did he ever answer any questions in parliament.

Both Houses and the provincial assemblies observe question hour but there is no parliamentary tradition of routinely acknowledging the sacrifices of the country’s shuhda and ghazis.

The president, prime minister, ministers and senior civil and military officers do issue statements, and legislatures occasionally pass resolutions honouring those fighting a bloody war against terrorism; but the possibility of a weekly tribute did cross my mind. After all, hardly a day passes without hearing of security personnel — in the armed forces, paramilitaries, police and other security bodies — who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

We need committees that are more active in debating national security.

Almost all sources of information show that the number of violent terrorist incidents, casualties and fatalities in Pakistan have reached their highest level in a decade. In fact, 2025 was the bloodiest year since 2014. According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal, the number of violent terrorist incidents in 2025 was 1,077 with fatalities among the forces and civilians touching 1,229 and 655 respectively during the year.

The data gathered for 2026 points to even higher figures when compared to the average monthly figures for 2025. For example, the number of terrorism incidents increased to a monthly average of 118, compared to 90 in 2025.

Similarly, average monthly fatalities of civilian and security forces personnel in the first nine months of 2026 (up to Sept 21) have increased to 74 from 55 last year and to 114 from 102, respectively. These figures indicate a steep spike in attacks, particularly carried out by two major terrorist groups that the state aptly refers to as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.

We do not see the level of concern and debate within democratic institutions that is warranted by the rise in acts of terrorism. We have four key standing committees relating to the issue in parliament — separate Senate and National Assembly standing committees on defence and two other committees of the Senate and National Assembly on the interior.

In addition, each of the four provincial assemblies has a standing committee on home affairs. Whatever little record is available on these legislatures’ official websites does not indicate that the committees have been often and actively debating the rising incidence of terrorism in the country — especially in KP and Balochistan —in detail, which should have been done in view of the situation.

The plenaries of the six national and provincial legislatures have debated the issue on and off, and passed resolutions too. I am sure that more frequent discussions in the legislative bodies would not only contribute to finding more effective ways in which the menace of terrorism can be combated at the people’s level, but the attention given by the legislators to this issue would further boost security personnel’s morale.

In 2019, the Speaker of the National Assembly had constituted a joint (National Assembly and Senate) committee on national security under his own chairmanship and included the senior-most parliamentarians and ministers.

But since the last election in 2024, the committee has apparently ceased to exist. It doesn’t necessarily mean that we need a parliamentary committee on national security while the committees on defence and interior already exist. However, what we need are committees that are more active in debating national security.

The public should be confident that national security issues are being discussed and timely decisions being made at the appropriate forum. In this context, it is difficult to understand the relatively inactive state of the National Security Committee, which was created in 2013.

The Committee, which brings together the top civil and military leadership under the chairmanship of the prime minister, has not met even once during the current calendar year. Given the prevailing circumstances and the mandate of the NSC, it should meet more regularly, preferably on a monthly basis. Just for comparison, Britain’s National Security Council meets every week under the prime minister although the UK has far fewer security issues than Pakistan.

It is hoped that the National Counter Terrorism Authority — a very important body especially in the present context — will not only become more active under its new national coordinator Maj-Gen Faisal Naseer but will also attempt to raise its public profile by, for example, sharing at least a sanitised version of the progress on the implementation of the National Action Plan with the people, their representatives and the media. Extending its outreach will bolster public trust.

The writer is president of the Pakistan-based think tank Pildat.

president@pildat.org

X: @ABMPildat

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026

The chief minister of KP, Sohail Khan Afridi, is all of 37 years old. He was slated to lead the PTI this Sunday into yet another showdown with the state. Late Friday, however, his party’s long march to Islamabad was put off by a week, giving everyone some breathing space.

Afridi must live up to some daunting expectations from the hardliners within his ranks. He has to succeed where others more experienced than him have failed, or face relegation and possibly political oblivion.

The odds remain stacked against him, and the PTI’s opponents have left no stone unturned to impress upon him and his party what their prospects are if they march on Islamabad. That is why it would be premature to say the pressure has been released.

Yet the other side is hardly in a better position. Intoxicated by the impunity granted to it under the current configuration of state, and seemingly oblivious to the optics and potential consequences of an overreaction on its part, the government is making it abundantly clear that it will ‘fix’ the PTI ‘for good’ if it dares march.

That, however, will not solve its problems. Whatever calm the country has seen of late has merely been the lull before another storm. Ordinary Pakistanis have endured years of economic hardship. The protracted war in the Gulf has now handed this government another painful economic test — one it does not appear equipped to pass. Its show of strength is, in large part, a mask for that weakness.

In short, both sides appear to be in varying states of desperation. And this is why the coming days could prove dangerous for the federation: a province marching on a barricaded capital. De-escalation is required, however remote a possibility it may seem at this point.

Those in power must realise that no matter what they accomplish and no matter how comprehensively they are able to thwart the opposition, power is fleeting and the future will bring consequences in one form or another.

Pakistan’s history is replete with missteps and unfortunate decisions that continue to hurt its present generations. The PTI, too, must realise that politics and negotiation remain the most viable path forward.

There is a real danger that its march, if it goes ahead next weekend, may still end in violence and bloodshed. Fresh bloodshed will not advance its cause. Both sides must meet each other halfway, with the state permitting protest and the PTI keeping it peaceful, to prevent another tragedy from playing out.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026

The foundation alleges that in June of the same year, Gilboa was in Rafah ordering the demolition of multiple buildings and in July was involved in another demolition. It argues that Gilboa’s actions — and the actions of thousands of Israeli soldiers who took part in similar mayhem — are in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Where do these Israeli war criminals go to ‘rest’ after destroying the lives of innocent Palestinians? Many go to India, following a backpacking route so well known for hosting Israeli soldiers that it is called the ‘Hummus Trail’. It stretches through destinations like Kasol and the Parvati Valley, Dharamkot and Tosh in Himachal Pradesh and on to places like Pushkar in Rajasthan, and Goa. Around 80,000 Israeli soldiers are said to travel there annually.

This is also where Gilboa went. The path of guest houses frequented by Israeli travellers is well established and Indians have gone through a lot of trouble to accommodate them. Attractions include raves where visitors can lose themselves in trance music and drugs.

So established is this trade in providing peace and ‘healing’ that one writer called towns on the Hummus Trail the “ashrams for war criminals”. Dharamsala even boasts of a ‘mini-Israel’, where shopkeepers speak Hebrew and serve Israeli food. In 2015, a cafe in Kasol was accused of refusing to serve Indian customers while admitting white tourists.

Israeli soldiers reviled in other parts are welcome in India.

The most important thing that India provides is absolution. Here, Israeli soldiers condemned and excoriated in most other parts of the world, are welcome. They can partake of a commercialised, tourist-friendly mix of ‘healing’ from the trauma of war, without having to take accountability for their actions in Gaza.

Gilboa was no different. The Hind Rajab Foundation analysed photographs and other material from his Indian journey and filed complaints with the Himachal police, the home ministry and the Bureau of Immigration seeking his arrest. No arrest followed and Gilboa eventually left India.

India’s ties with Israel run deep and increasingly point to an ideological, economic and military alignment. Hindutva’s founder Vinayak Damodar Savarkar praised the idea of a Jewish state in Palestine, describing Palestine as the Jews’ “Fatherland and Holyland”. Zionism’s blend of attachment to a motherland and religious attachment to a holy land was precisely what Savarkar wanted for Hindus.

Modi’s India in this sense is like Zionist Israel. India’s Citizenship Amendment Act created an expedited route to citizenship for specified non-Muslim migrants from neighbouring countries while excluding Muslims from its provisions. Israel’s 2018 nation-state law similarly privileged Jewish national identity by declaring that the right to national self-determination in Israel is unique to the Jewish people.

In contemporary India, the state supports these Israeli enclaves on the Hummus Trail even as it punishes people for expressing their support for Palestinians. An editorial published in The Edict, a newspaper at Ashoka University, noted how eager Hin­­dutva supporters want to fraternise with Israeli tourists, imagining their sha­red hostility tow­ards Muslims as a natural alignment, while some Israeli travellers treat br­­own Indians as les­ser locals there to serve them. In Pu­­shkar, The Edict re­­ported that the Chabad House has Hebrew signage and a perimeter fence, with Indians facing restrictions on entry while white tourists were admitted with less scrutiny.

So India welcomes Israeli soldiers on their ‘healing journeys’, including those facing allegations of war crimes. The Indian state — as evidenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eager embrace of Israeli officials — is keen to emphasise the closeness of the two countries. In his speech at the Knesset, Modi even peddled yoga and ayurveda as sources of holistic wellness that Israelis could partake in when they visited India.

This, then, is the tale of two hatreds. Men like Eitan Gilboa, accused of participating in the destruction of civilian homes, can leave Gaza and seek succour in a new environment where they can forget the cruelties of war. Hosting those accused of such acts without demanding accountability raises its own moral questions, but this is a truth that India, drowning in its own hatreds, appears unable to acknowledge.

The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy.

rafia.zakaria@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026

QUETTA: The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad has postponed its long march and sit-in towards Islamabad, which was scheduled to begin from Quetta on Friday, following a request and assurances from the Balochistan government.

According to Home Affairs Adviser Babar Yousafzai, a government delegation led by Provincial Minister Ali Madad Jattak met Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Baath. Member of the Balochistan Assembly Mir Jahanzeb Mengal also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the government delegation assured the farmers’ leader that steps would be taken to address the demands of the farming community and fulfil their legitimate concerns.

Mr Yousafzai said Khalid Baath acc­e­p­ted the government’s assurances and req­uest and announced the postponement of the long march towards Islamabad. He also assured the government delegation of the farmers’ cooperation.

He said the Kissan Ittehad had decided to postpone the march in view of the prevailing national situation and law and order concerns.

The home affairs adviser said the dialogue between the Balochistan government and the Kissan Ittehad was an important step towards progress. He added that the provincial government was taking serious measures to address the demands of the farming community.

Press conference

Earlier, before postponing the protest following a meeting with the government delegation, Mr Baath said at a press conference that a long march on Islamabad had been planned to press for the acceptance of farmers’ and landowners’ demands, including the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

He said the protest would continue until their demands were accepted.

Mr Baath said farmers’ caravans from across the country would join the Islamabad march.

He said the movement aimed to highlight the agricultural problems faced by farmers and address the deteriorating condition in the agriculture sector. He said the farmers would launch a nationwide campaign for their rights and demands and continue their peaceful struggle until the problems facing the agricultural sector were resolved.

He said they had serious reservations about Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz’s agricultural policies and were demanding her resignation.

He said farmers were the backbone of the country’s food supply, adding that the agriculture sector had suffered severely over the past three years due to what he described as flawed policies.

He said rising inflation had made it difficult for low-income people to afford even basic food items, while urgent and effective measures were needed to revive the sector and support farmers.

Mr Baath further said the prosperity of farmers was essential for the prosperity of Balochistan and Pakistan. He alleged that bureaucrats were unaware of the problems faced by farmers and landowners and that flawed policies and decisions had harmed the country.

He appealed to Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti to declare an agricultural emergency in the province and prioritise agriculture over development projects.

He said that due to law and order problems in Balochistan, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners were unable to even reach their offices.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026

Sources in the police said the amount requested by the capital police for security arrangements to counter the PTI’s protest would effectively double and was likely to cost the exchequer more than Rs1 billion as the political party has postponed the protest rally for about a week.

Earlier, PTI had announced a countrywide protest starting on September 27.

Following the announcement, the capital police, like their counterparts in Punjab, began preparations and requested Rs820 million to cover the rent of containers, accommodation and meals for the police personnel arriving from Punjab and Sindh.

Police yet to decide whether to release containers or retain them in their custody, says All Pakistan Goods Alliance chairman

The amount was intended to cover one week, as the police expected the protest and long march, scheduled to begin on September 27, to disperse by October 4.

However, with the protest and long march postponed for a week, the expenses are also expected to increase.

All Pakistan Goods Alliance Chairman Nisar Hussain Jaffri said the alliance had initially demanded a daily rent of Rs40,000 and Rs20,000 for 40-foot and 20-foot containers, respectively. Later, he said, the demand was revised to Rs30,000 per container for both sizes.

After PTI postponed the long march, the police were asked about the containers, he said, adding that the authorities had so far not decided whether to release or retain them in their custody.

The sources said that according to the demand the daily rent for 1,550 containers comes to Rs46.5 million, while the rent for one week is Rs325.5 million and for two weeks Rs651 million.

The sources said the police had also requested a contingent of 16,000 personnel from the Punjab Police and 2,000 from the Sindh Police. So far, the Sindh Police contingent has reached the capital and is staying at marquees at the Police Lines Headquarters, Faisal Mosque and Community Centre G-13.

Three meals a day are being provided to the visiting personnel. The cost of three meals per person is Rs600, meaning Rs1.2 million is being spent each day to feed the 2,000 Sindh Police personnel. The cost of meals for one week is Rs8.4 million and for two weeks Rs16.8 million.

Surprisingly, the requested Punjab Police contingent is yet to reach Islamabad. The sources said the 16,000-member contingent was scheduled to reach the capital by the evening of September 25, as the deployment plan was to take effect from the evening of September 26. However, no Punjab Police official had arrived in Islamabad by Friday evening, they added.

About 70 coasters, 30 double-cabin vehicles and buses were also arranged to transport the police force between their places of accommodation and designated duty points. The daily rent of a coaster is Rs15,000, bringing the daily cost of 70 coasters to Rs1.05 million. The daily rent of a double-cabin vehicle is Rs10,000, while the 30 vehicles cost Rs300,000 per day.

The police also booked 175 rooms in 13 hotels in different sectors for 246 inspectors, 58 deputy and assistant superintendents of police, superintendents of police, 10 senior superintendents of police and eight deputy inspectors general of police.

Of the 13 hotels, 157 rooms in 11 hotels were booked for officers from the ranks of inspector to SP. The daily rent for these rooms is Rs754,500, and rent for one week will be Rs5.2815 million.

Although the Punjab Police contingent has yet to arrive in the capital, its three-meal daily food bill is estimated at Rs9.6 million. The cost would rise to Rs67.2 million for one week.

The rent of the buses arranged to transport the police force, as well as the rent of 18 rooms at two hotels booked for DIGs and SSPs, was not known.

Meanwhile, All Pakistan Goods Alliance Chairman Nisar Hussain said the police in Islamabad and Punjab had taken into custody at least 2,700 vehicles along with their three-member crews.

Of the total, about 400 vehicles and their crews were still missing, while the crews of the remaining vehicles were being kept at police stations. He clarified that the police had not formally arrested the drivers and other crew members but had stopped them from leaving the police stations except for meals. The police had also confiscated their mobile phones, vehicle documents and keys.

The sources said the crews would remain at the police stations until a decision was made on releasing the containers. They were being kept there to drive and move the vehicles, as special skills were required to operate the large container trucks.

The containers and vehicles were seized and their crew members detained in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Jhang, Hasanabdal, Attock, Kamoke, Taxila, Jhelum, Mianwali, Chakwal, Faisalabad and Gujrat. Of the 2,700 vehicles, 450 were carrying goods, including medicines, food items and chemicals.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026